Humidifier for sauna rooms

ABSTRACT

A humidifier for sauna rooms comprises a nozzle connected to a water supply conduit wherein the flow is controlled by a valve, for dispersing a fine water mist into the sauna room. A thermostatic valve member is associated with the nozzle to keep the nozzle closed below a predetermined temperature in the sauna room.

United States Patent Janson Dec. 17, 1974 HUMIDIFIER FOR'SAUNA ROOMS [56] References Cited [76] Inventor: Sven-Olof Janson, Fredagsgrand 13, UNITED STATES PATENTS 5-302 53 Halmstad, Sweden 3,739,144 6/l973 Janson 4/160 [22] Filed: Feb. 6, 1974 Primary Examiner-Edward G. Favors [2H Appl' 440ll4 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ladas, Parry, Von Gehr, v Related US. Application Data Goldsmith & Deschamps [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 270,764, July 11, 1972,

abandoned. [57] ABSTRACT A humidifier for sauna rooms comprises a nozzle con- [30] Forelg Apphcat'on Pnomy Data nected to a water supply conduit wherein the flow is July 13, 1971 Sweden 9046/71 ontrolled by a valve, for dispersing a fine water mist int the sauna room. A thermostatic valve member is [52] US. Cl. 236/44 C, 261/39 i t d with the nozzle to keep the nozzle closed Int. Cl B01f below a predetermined temperature in the sauna [58] Field of Search 236/44 R, 44 C, 44 A; room 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1.7,! I! IIIIII PATENTEI} DEC! 7 I974 sum 1 or 2 IIIIIII I I II I I III I 1 III III II II I 1/ u I C, I I II (I I III I III I II I 1 I II I I II //I III III 2 I I II (I I Z III C ,1 I I I II ,I III I I II I/ III III. III I III I I I ,I III 7 7, I I III I II I I I I I I I! II I III III I! III I I 'II I I I I! I I I I I, I! II I I II I I r I I! I II/ I I II/ I 7 .ll/ 1 4 I, III I, III I, I III I I I III III I I I II II I I I ,1, I I4 I 1 1 I I II I 1 I I III I I I I I I I I LEE 1 71974 PATENTEL SHEET 2 OF 2 Ill 1 N OI HUMIDIFIER FOR SAUNA ROOMS This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 270,764 filed July II, 1972 and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a humidifier for sauna rooms.

In order to obtain a more or less humid atmosphere in sauna rooms it is customary to evaporate water by means of the sauna heater. In this connection, the most common procedure is to pour water on heated stones in a stone magazine in the sauna heater. This so called bath-sprinkling provides rapidly a humid atmosphere but it is difficult to maintain in this manner a substantially uniform degree of humidity. The possibility thereof will be improved in case the sauna heater is,

provided with a water container from which water evaporates successively due to heating by the heater but also in this case the degree of humidity in the sauna room will not be of satisfactory uniformity and especially it will be difficult to control the evaporation in dependence of the degree of humidity in the sauna room as sensed by a hygrometer.

According to the invention there is provided a humidifier which, for the operation thereof, is not dependent of heating. On the contrary the humidification of the air is achieved by a mechanical. atomization of water which is sprayed as a very fine mist into the sauna room.

For this purpose there is provided in combination, a

sauna room, means for heating the atmosphere therein midifying means comprising a water supply conduit, a valve connected into the conduit for controlling the flow therethrough, a nozzle connected to the conduit for' dispersing supplied water as a fine mist'into the sauna room, and a thermostatic valve member for keeping the nozzle closed below a predetermined temperature in the sauna room.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional perspective view ofa sauna room having means for heating the atmosphere therein and means for humidifying said atmosphere;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly in horizontal cross section, of a sauna room humidifier according to the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a modified sauna room humidifier according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a sauna room 1 having a bench 2 and a heater 3. Said heater may be of any conventional construction, and may be heated by gas, electricity or oil, or by wood burning. A humidifying means 4 is provided connected to a water supply conduit having a throttle valve (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1) whereby water can be dispersed into the sauna room atmosphere as a fine mist in a controllable manner. The construction of the humidifying means will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein reference numerals 10 and 11 indicate said conduit and throttle valve respectively.

To a water supply conduit 10 having a throttle valve 17 towards a seat 18 and is connected by means of a valve shaft 19 to a thermostatic sensing body 20 mounted to the valve body. Valve member 16 controls the connection between conduit 10 and a nozzle 21 connected with the valve body for discharging water in a highly atomized form as a fine mist.

As long as the temperature in the sauna room is below a predetermined value valve member 16 will be held in a closed position against seat 18 by spring 17. However, when said predetermined temperature is reached the thermostatic sensing body 20 will displace the valve member to an open position against the bias provided by spring 17 such that a fine water mist will be dispersed into the sauna roomfrom nozzle 21. A suitable value of said predetermined temperature may be about 158F. The water flow through nozzle 21 will be determined by the setting of throttle valve 11, and in orderto facilitate the operation of this valve handle 12 thereof may be associated with an index and a scale which has scale lines, e.g.,-fr0m O to lO.

In order to prevent water from dripping from nozzle 21 when valve 13 has closed there may beprovided under the mouth of the nozzle a bowl 22 supported by valve body 14.

The humidifier described operates with sufficient accuracy in order to satisfy normal demands on the operativeness but the invention also provides an advanced modification which provides a more accurate degree of humidity in the sauna room than that obtained by the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. In this modified embodiment, shown in FIG. 3, throttle valve 11 in conduit 10 is replaced by a solenoid valve 23 which is normally open and is operatively connected to a hygrostatic control member 24 in the sauna room. This control member is included into an electric circuit 25 for the valve solenoid and the solenoid valve will be held open until the degree of humidity in the sauna room reaches a predetermined value which may be arbitrarily controlable. When this value of the degree of humidity isv reached the current supply to the solenoid valve will be closed such that the solenoid valve will be energized to close. The hygrostatic control member operates with some lag and, therefore, the control member will record an increase of the degree of humidity after closure of the solenoid valve before the reaction of this member reverses and the member senses a decrease of the degree of humidity. The solenoid valve will be closed until the degree of humidity sensed by the control member will have reached again said predetermined value. When this happens control member 24 will break power supply circuit 25 and solenoid valve 23 will be deenergized to open for continued supply of a water mist to the sauna room through nozzle 21 and, thus, for maintenance of the desired degree of humidity in said room.'

By this action the degree ofhumidity in the sauna room will be kept within predetermined limits, completely automatically. v

The thermostatic sensing body 20 may be adjustable as far as the temperature is concerned at which valve member 16 will be displaced to the open position. A suitable range of adjustment may extend from to 194F. Moreover, nozzle 21 may be adjustable for different water flows such that the water flow through the nozzle may easily be matched to different volumes of the sauna room.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a sauna room, means for heating the atmosphere therein and means for humidifying said atmosphere, said humidifying means comprising;

1. a water supply conduit,

to maintain the nozzle closed when the temperature of the atmosphere in the sauna roomis below a predetermined valve.

2. The combination according to claim 1 in which 2. a first valve in said supply conduit for controlling 5 said first valve is a solenoid valve connected to an electhe flow of water therethrough,

3. a nozzle connected to said supply conduit adapted to disperse water as a fine mist into the sauna room atmosphere, and

tric circuit including a hygrostatic control member located in the sauna room and adapted to maintain said solenoid valve open only when the degree of humidity in the atmosphere in the sauna room is below a prede- 4. a thermostatic valve having a valve member inter termined valve.

mediate said first valve and said nozzle and adapted 

1. In combination, a sauna room, means for heating the atmosphere therein and means for humidifying said atmosphere, said humidifying means comprising;
 1. a water supply conduit,
 2. a first valve in said supply conduit for controlling the flow of water therethrough,
 3. a nozzle connected to said supply conduit adapted to disperse water as a fine mist into the sauna room atmosphere, and
 4. a thermostatic valve having a valve member intermediate said first valve and said nozzle and adapted to maintain the nozzle closed when the temperature of the atmosphere in the sauna room is below a predetermined valve.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 in which said first valve is a solenoid valve connected to an electric circuit including a hygrostatic control member located in the sauna room and adapted to maintain said solenoid valve open only when the degree of humidity in the atmosphere in the sauna room is below a predetermined valve.
 2. a first valve in said supply conduit for controlling the flow of water therethrough,
 3. a nozzle connected to said supply conduit adapted to disperse water as a fine mist into the sauna room atmosphere, and
 4. a thermostatic valve having a valve member intermediate said first valve and said nozzle and adapted to maintain the nozzle closed when the temperature of the atmosphere in the sauna room is below a predetermined valve. 